Last for creasing boot or shoe uppers



(No Model.)

B. G. WOOD'ARD.

LAST FOR GREASING BOOT 0B SHOE UPPERS.

No. 445,360. Patented Jan. 27,1891.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDVART) \VOODARI), 0F CAM PELLO, MASSACHUSET"S.

LAST FOR CREASING BQOT OR SHOE UPPER S.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,360, dated January 2'7, 1891.

Application filed October '7, 1890. Serial No. 367,352. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD C. WooDARD, of Can1pello,(Brockton,) in the count-yof Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lasts for Creasing Boot or Shoe Uppcrs, of which the following is a specification.

This in vent-ion has for its object to provide a last or last-shaped piece adapted to be inserted in the inside of a boot or shoe and pressed upwardly against the innersurface of the upper to aid an operatorin forming transverse creases in the upper by the use of a rubstick held in his hand and moved across the upper.

The invention consists in a last-shaped piece formed to be inserted in the interior of a boot or shoe and provided with transverse grooves in its upper surface, and with a foot or fulcrum projecting downwardly from its lower portion, and with a handle projecting upwardly from its rear end, the whole constituting a creasing device which enables the operator to quickly and neatly crease the upper by the aid of asuitable rub-stick or other tool, as I will now proceed to describe.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a creasing-last embodying my invention, the same being shown in its operative position within a boot or shoe, the latter being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 represents a top View of the creasing-last. Fig. 3 representsa side elevation of a modification.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

In the drawings, a represents a lastshaped piece of wood, metal, or other suitable material, the upper surface of which has the gen eral shape of the upper surface of a last on which a boot or shoe is made. The pieced is however much thinner than an ordinarylast, so that when inserted in a boot or shoe it will have room enough to move up and down freely between the sole and upper, and can there fore be easily inserted and removed.

(1 d d represent a series of transverse grooves formed in the upper surface of the piece a.

0 represents a downwardly-projeeting foot or fulcrum at the rear end of the piece a, said foot being arranged to bear upon the sole of the boot or shoe in which the device is inserted, as shown in Fig. 1. l

h represents a handle which is attached to or formed on the rear end of the piece a and projects upwardly and rearwardlyfarenough to enable the operator to control the piece a when the latter is within the boot or shoe.

The device is operated as follows: The operator, holding the handle I) in one hand, inserts the grooved piece a into the boot or shoe and, resting the foot 0 on the sole, presses downwardly on the handle Z), and thereby presses the grooved surface of the piece a upwardly against the inner surface of the upper, so that said piece supports the upper in the same manner that the upper surface of a last supports the upper of a boot or shoe made upon it. The operator now by the aid of a rubstick or creasing-tool formed to press the material of the upper into the grooves (Z creases the upper by drawingthe rub'stick across the outer surface thereof over said grooves, the leather sinking into the grooves under the pressure of the tool. After the creasing operation has been completed the piece a may be readily removed from the interior of the boot or shoe.

It will be seen that an important feature of my invention is the thin last-shaped piece having the transverse grooves and the down wardly-projecting foot, the whole formed to be inserted and removed without resistance, so that the operator can apply the device to the boot or shoe and remove it after the operation without loss of time.

I do not limit myself to the precise form shown and described, but may vary the same in minor particulars without departing from the spirit of my invention-for example, the foot or part which bears on the sole may be the shorter arm 0 of a lever Z2, which is pivoted at c to the piece a, as shown in Fig. 3.

'Upward pressure on the lever b will cause the .foot 0 and piece a to move in opposite directions within the boot, the piece a being thus pressed upwardly against the upper.

I claim 1. The improved creasing last composed of a thin last-shaped piece having transverse grooves in its upper surface, and means for pressing said grooved surface against the upper of a boot or shoe in which the piece is inserted, as set'forth. 5 2. A creasing-last formed to move freely between the sole and upper of a boot or shoe in which it is inserted, and provided with transverse grooves in its upper surface,a foot projecting downwardly from its lower surface, and an operating-handle, as set forth.

3. The improved creasing-last composed of the thin last-shaped piece a, adapted tobeinserted in a boot or shoe, and provided with transverse grooves d, handle b, and foot or fulcrum c, as set forth. 7

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification,in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 27th day of September, A. D. 1890. I

EDWARD O. VVOODARD.

Witnesses:

JESSE H. AVERILL, IRA A. LEACH. 

